Arthur Smith was named the new offensive coordinator of the Steelers today. Smith, who is entering his 17th season in the NFL, comes to Coach Mike Tomlin’s staff with a wealth of experience, having spent the last three (2021-23) as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
“It’s such a unique opportunity to be able to work for an organisation like the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Smith added. “With the history and the culture here, and the opportunity to work with Mike Tomlin, to me it’s a perfect cultural fit.”
Prior to this, he was a member of the Tennessee Titans coaching staff from 2011 to 2020. He led the team as offensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020, when the offence was regarded as one of the finest in the NFL.
Under Smith’s leadership, the Falcons offence amassed over 400 yards in six games in 2023, which is tied for fourth most in the team’s single-season history. When it came to rushing yards per game, the squad was tenth in the NFL. Only two NFL teams concluded the season with a top-10 rushing attack and a top-5 opponent pressure percentage, and the Falcons were one of them.
With 1,463 yards from scrimmage, rookie running back Bijan Robinson—the eighth overall selection and first-round choice by the Falcons—finished second among rookies in the NFL. Robinson also topped all NFL rookies with 976 yards of rushing, the most yards from scrimmage in Falcons history by a rookie. In addition, he scored eight touchdowns—four via catching and four via running.
In addition, Robinson set the Falcons record for most games with 100 yards from scrimmage with six, and most receptions by a running back with 58, and is the fifth rookie in NFL history to record at least 1,400 yards from scrimmage, 55 receptions and four receiving touchdowns.
Under Smith’s direction, the Falcons run game expanded significantly, averaging 74.5 more rushing yards per game in 2022 than in 2021, the most increase by a team in an NFL season since 2001.
Since Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert did so with the Eagles in 2019, the tight end duo of Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith became the first to have 500+ receiving yards in a single season. Pitts concluded with
Smith played with the Tennessee Titans for ten seasons before joining the Falcons, serving as the offensive coordinator for the final two of those seasons.
Under his leadership, the Titans offense—which featured quarterback Ryan Tannehill lighting it up and running back Derrick Henry topping the NFL in rushing both seasons—was a major reason the team made it to the postseason both years.
The Titans offence, led by Smith, was among the best in the NFL in 2020, finishing first or second in a number of categories, including plays of 50 yards or more, pass plays of 50 yards or more, total offence, rushing offence, yards/rush, red-zone efficiency, runs of 20 yards or more (20, 3rd), yards/play (6.2, 4th), and runs of 10 yards or more (70, 4th).
The Titans offence topped the NFL and had the eighth-best single-season average since 2000 in 2020 with an average of 2.86 points per drive. The Titans’ touchdown percentage in 2020 was 35.9%, which is the fourth-best single-season percentage in the NFL since 2000.
Henry became just the sixth player in NFL history to carry for more than 2,000 yards in a season when he amassed 2,027 yards in 2020. With 2,027 yards, Henry is fifth all-time in NFL history and led the Titans to the second-best offensive line in the league.
During Smith’s tenure as offensive coordinator, the Titans were among the best teams in the NFL when it came to red zone efficiency. Their red zone touchdown percentages for 2020 (75.0) and 2019 (75.6) respectively placed them fourth and sixth.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill saw his career take a turn for the better under Smith, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year by both the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers of America in 2019.
In 2019 the Titans were third in rushing, with 138.9 yards per game, and led the NFL in red-zone efficiency (75.6 %).
During his time with the Titans, he worked under multiple head coaches, including Mike Munchak, Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Mularkey and Mike Vrabel, all who have either coached and/or played for the Steelers.
In his first eight seasons with the Titans, he served as tight ends coach (2016-18), assistant tight ends coach (2014-15), offensive line/tight ends assistant coach (2013), offensive quality control coach (2012), and defensive quality control coach (2011).
Smith also spent two seasons with the Washington Commanders (2007-08) as defensive quality control coach, his first role in the NFL coaching ranks, as well as a scouting assistant.
Smith began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, North Carolina, in 2006. He also spent a season at Ole Miss where he was a defensive intern/administrative assistant.
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